Third parties poised to pick Pa. governor nominees

HARRISBURG, Pa.—At least two third-party candidates are hoping to compete against Republican Gov. Tom Corbett and his Democratic challenger when Pennsylvanians elect a governor this fall.

Ken Krawchuk, who ran unsuccessfully for governor as the Pennsylvania Libertarian Party candidate in 1998 and 2002, said Thursday he is unopposed for the party's 2014 nomination at this weekend's convention in Bethlehem.

And Paul Glover, a community economic development consultant in Philadelphia, is uncontested for the Pennsylvania Green Party nomination at its convention in State College in early March.

Krawchuk, 60, is an information technology consultant from the Philadelphia suburb of Abington. Glover, 66, is a longtime activist who helped organize the party in the 1980s.

The initial challenge for both men will be gathering at least 16,638 voters' signatures each—2 percent of the votes cast for the top vote-getter in the last statewide election—by Aug. 1 to qualify for the Nov. 4 ballot.

Republican and Democratic candidates need only 2,000 signatures, but must win their party's nomination in the primary election in order to be listed on the general election ballot.

Eight candidates are vying for the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Gov. Tom Corbett's re-election bid. Corbett is unopposed for the GOP nod.

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Third-party candidates for statewide office typically receive only a small slice of the vote—Krawchuk received 1 percent in 2002—but that could be enough in a close race to affect the outcome.

A pending state Senate bill would substantially reduce the number of registered voters in a political party necessary for it to qualify as a minor party and make it easier for candidates to get on the ballot. It's supported by both the Green and Libertarian parties.

Krawchuk said the proposal would "level the playing field" for all candidates and "lead to greater competition at the ballot box and more choices for Pennsylvanians."

Glover said the present law "rigs the game in favor of the two (major) parties."

The Pennsylvania Constitution Party, which is holding its convention March 1, remained undecided Thursday on whether it would put up a candidate for governor.

"We're still casting about for the right person," said Jim Clymer, treasurer of the state party.